Tortured Innocence
by weeza29745
Summary: Hinata was always the quiet girl. She did well in school and didn't talk that much. But she had a secret, a secret that is costing her life. A secret she can't tell, on pain of death. The only thing is, if she doesn't tell, her secret would kill her.
1. Who Would Have Thought?

Hinata really wasn't ever the best talker. Especially in socially awkward situations, very much like the one she was facing now. One of the boys in her class had pulled down her pants as she walked in, leaving her to be the center of attention, many noticed her underwear were a bit lacy. Her face was beet red, almost purple, and tears were streaming down her face as she yanked her jeans up and ran out of the classroom and into the lavatory, absolutely mortified. She sat there and cried for a while, afraid to show her face, for fear of the leering stares of people she did _not_ want to see as much of her as they saw. She didn't even like taking off her thick hoodie bearing her clan's symbol on it.

After a half-hour or so sitting in a stall, sulking, Kurenai-sensei, Hinata's main mentor, was combing the secretive areas of the school for the indigo haired girl, who was banging her head against the dirty, tiled wall of the public bathroom.

"Hinata! Are you alright?" The calming scarlet eyes of the professor helped Hinata control her speech, even with her slight impediment. "I-I, t-they…" She lowered her head, long silky tresses falling in her face. Kurenai drew the young woman into her caring arms, comforting her and leading her out of the restroom and to the office, upset that the sophomore boys were so mean and immature as to do something like this to sweet, quiet little Hinata.

The black haired lady instructed Hinata to sit down while she spoke with a man known as Umino, Iruka behind the front desk. He spared a sympathetic glance at the Hyuuga heir. He was treated about the same when he was her age. He scratched a deep scar that ran from cheek-bone to cheek-bone, altering the bridge of his nose as he carefully picked up the phone. Usually, the only reason he had to call Hinata's father was when she fainted or something as bad. This was the first cruel act… That she reported, of course.

Hinata was offered a ride home and was asked if she'd like her cousin to pick up her assignments. She shrugged and began twiddling her fingers nervously, thinking about how long it would take everyone in her class to forget what they saw and immediately began dreading the next day.

She received a passage home and approached the apartment building the Hyuugas lived in and owned, gulping from anxiety of what was to come. When she dropped her book bag on the floor, she looked around, frightened. Where was her father? What was going to happen to her when he showed up? She knew these answers already, but couldn't help the fear of the punishment she was bound to face, the scarring intensity of it. She briefly considered walking back to school, which wasn't that far away, but this notion was replaced by the feeling of being prey to something far worse that extreme embarrassment…

Just as she turned around, a hand struck her cheek, harshly, sending her sprawling on the floor.

* * *

Neji Hyuuga was always concerned with his academic welfare and hardly noticed when his younger cousin went home early, leaving him to pick up her homework that accumulated while she was absent. Then, Tenten, someone who shared the same required mentor as him, approached him in the cafeteria where he usually sat alone.

"Hey Neji. Where's Hinata?" She was innocently curious, cocking her head to the side to fix one of her perfect sphere-shaped brunette buns. Neji's classmate looked at him for answers. She was kind of fond of Hinata's shy, child-like stature and considered them friends, even though Tenten was more a tomboy and had more guy friends than female friends. She didn't really have a preference, she just seemed to get along better with guys than girls.

"How am I supposed to know?" The teenaged boy's face was fixed in an indifferent mask, his voice held a disinterest in the topic. Tenten rolled her eyes and huffed as Lee, a black haired boy with a bright smile, whisked her away, explaining his day excitedly to her. She listened enough to eventually get him to shut up, but smiled kindly at him as he professed this information to her. He was the other person who shared their mentor, and looked just like him.

Neji pondered the reason for Hinata's absence briefly, cracking his joints as he stood up. He also played many sports in addition to being the class genius. He played mainly baseball, but dabbled in other recreational activities outside of school. He was the pitcher or shortstop in regular games, and invaluable to the team, the Fire Foxes, their colors, orange, black and white. Entertaining the idea of her early dismissal, he shook his head clear of the notion and decided to ask her about it when they got home.

The bell rang and he dumped his nearly empty tray and strode out of the mess hall, heading to his next to last class, equations from the previous day playing through his head. He sat down in the calculus classroom and tuned into the teacher for the next hour and a half.

After school, he drove home in his sleek, black BMW he bought with collected birthday money and drifted home, the occasional bystander stopping to ogle his car, mostly other motorists with less-than-satisfying vehicles.

Neji let his long hair fall down his back once he entered the building. Instead of heading to the branch wing, to the main wing, to Hinata's room. He knocked softly, and shoved his way in when he heard whimpering from a small voice. His younger laid on her bed, lavender spread under her. He felt kind of blind-sided, she was wearing a black tank top and short, black shorts, revealing much of her shapely legs and cleavage, which, thankfully for her, was shrouded by her indigo locks, flowing down her back and front. She was holding a pillow close to her face which was a tear-stained porcelain, large eyes watching Neji warily as she tried to cover herself, blushing furiously. Neji averted his gaze and walked slowly towards her, unsure of how to comfort her, also tomato red. He sat down on her bed and looked at his lap, wondering what would be best, then he noticed how battered and bruised Hinata was and his eyebrows knitted with worry.

"Hinata-sama… What happened to you?" He questioned, attentive to her every action, expression and twitch. "I-it's n-n-nothing… D-d-don't worry, N-neji-niisan." She murmured, barely loud enough for him to hear. She turned away, scared that he'd figure out the damage done. He silently let it go and stood up, promising himself that next time, he would force her to tell him. He was almost certain there would be a next time, but he didn't know why.

"Goodb-bye, Neji-niisan." She whispered before he left the room, shoving her face back into the pillow, thankful that she had her own room. He nodded in acknowledgement and departed, saying a small prayer for her as he closed her door.

* * *

Hinata sat sulking in the hot shower for an hour, the hot, steamy water bliss after her day. She pondered Neji's sudden concern, then realized that he _is_ her cousin and is entitled to care for her, even if he hasn't before. She sighed and sat in the shower, legs curled up in front of her face. She leaned tiredly against the tile in the bathroom and let the water pour down her soothingly and thought of her childhood.

Her mother was a sweet woman, kind, caring and patient. She always made Hinata smile when she had a bad day and ignored her own problems when Hinata had a conflict. The young Hyuuga missed her mother dearly and, although she loved her father, despised his actions. She never wanted to be around him and was ashamed of herself for it. He always had the family business to run, always working. Whenever he was home, he was irritated and was disappointed, always yelling and torturing Hinata, telling her 'Why can't you be like your cousin or your sister? You're a worthless waste of space, you pathetic cunt.' Of course, no one else heard these words, if they had, she'd be whisked away in an instant. Or ignored, either one could happen, seeing as her family was very edgy. She just wanted those hurtful things to stop, and decided a way to cope with her pain.

The heiress climbed out of the shower and toweled herself off, pulling her damp hair into a bun, loose strands of hair framing her fallen face, beautiful and depressing at the same time, those glassy eyes dead or full of fear. She pulled on a light lavender blue nightgown and went into the bathroom once again. She took the cover of the mirror off to reveal a medicine cabinet with several remedies to various problems. Hinata, the innocent little Hyuuga, opened the Valium and let two pills slide down her throat with the help of some water from the sink in her cupped hands.

Hinata Hyuuga, popping pills. Who would of thought?


	2. Thank You

The next day at school, everyone barraged Hinata with questions, but all she could do is blush at the attention and nod or shake her head sleepily. A little smile was on her face when she thought about what she didn't have to think about anymore. No one questioned her bruises and cuts because no one saw them under her giant jacket. She drifted quietly in a dream like trance through her school day, still avoiding talking to people, but in a 'I can't really talk right now' instead of 'I'm too shy to talk right now'.

She received strange looks from her friends, Shino and Kiba, who were also mentored by Kurenai, as they asked her questions over and over. Hinata was nodding away when Kiba stopped cold.

"Hinata-chan, are you paying any attention, at all? I just asked you if you'd have sex with me and you kept nodding." He looked freaked, wondering what was up in her mind. "W-what? Oh my! N-no, Kiba, I-I-I don't d-do that!" She looked at him, surprised, and blushed, looking away quickly. Shino's brow was furrowed as he tried to assess what was up. He shrugged it off and tried to continue a normal conversation, but he couldn't shake the feeling of suspicion that lingered on the edge of his thoughts.

Later that day, the navy haired Hyuuga was getting dressed for gym when Sakura and Ino, who's locker was next to hers, cornered her, interrogating her about her wounds. Sakura was gentle, touching her arm and asking "What happened?" softly, while Ino took a more direct approach.

"HOLY SHIT! What the hell _happened_? Who would dare do this to you? I'll kill them! I will, you tell me who did it and-" The protective blonde was interrupted by a squeak. "No, Ino-chan! Y-you musn't h-hurt an-anyone!" Hinata freaked out just a little, eyes widened in horror. Ino was seething while Sakura's brow was knitted in worry. The two friends stuck with Hinata the entire period, trying to coax a name out of their delicate friend, nearly ill with worry.

As soon as Gym was over, Hinata shot out of the locker room like a bullet, relieved to be out of range of her protective, slightly over-bearing female friends.

However, when Hinata got home, her father was waiting for her in the kitchen, standing with a cup of tea in his hands, his eyebrows raised, hidden irritation in his glassy eyes. The young girl was being cautious as she set her book bag down, watching him warily. She was just about to pass him on her way to the door when his words stopped her in her tracks.

"I got a call from your mentor today. She said you were acting strange and wanted to come check on you." He had that calm but deadly tone of voice, silent poison threatening her. She turned to look at him, brow knotted with fear, her pearl eyes darting around the room, anticipating the worst.

"You told them, didn't you? Hm?" He demanded to know. He set his cup down on the table with a small _clink_ and crossed his arms, eyes narrowed, jaw set. Hinata shook her head no, and began backing away. Her father swiftly brought his hands to her throat and slammed her head against the wall, hissing foul things through his teeth. "You lying little bitch, I fucking murder you, you cunt-licking snitch." And things of the sort.

The teenager was powerless in comparison and could only struggle in response, coughing and choking, tears rolling hot down her face as his hands tightened around her delicate throat. He kept slamming her head against the wall, and finally, when she was bleeding, he threw her onto the ground and kicked her side in, bringing a knife to her, it's serrated blade glinting next to her throat.

"…And if you ever tell anyone," The blade dipped into the side of her neck, "This goes deeper. I'll make you suffer." He drew away, not without an evil glare, though. Then, she promptly passed out, where Hanabi found her and called an ambulance.

Neji arrived two hours after Hinata had been placed in a hospital's care. He had been allowed to leave baseball practice early on the account of his cousin's welfare. She had a tube in her arm and had been cleaned up since the abuse happened, but she looked almost okay. Beautiful, as always, but in a tortured way. She had so many bruises, her neck was purple, the rest of her body was battered and she cracked one or two ribs. This made Neji very angry, not with her, but with whomever did this terrible sin to her.

The brunette sat beside his younger cousin, his entire, built body tense with fury.

"Hinata-sama…" He said when he saw her. A nurse was watching warily from the other side of the room with a clipboard in hand, but allowed him to continue. The indigo haired porcelain doll smiled at him weakly, coughing a little before gazing back into his identical eyes. "Y-Yes?" She asked.

"Who did this to you?" He demanded to know fiercely, voice shaking with rage. Her face fell and tears formed in her eyes, "He s-s-said he'd kill m-me…" She whispered, those droplets leaking down her face. Neji took hold of her arm and bent down to her level on the bed.

"I will not let _anyone_ get away with hurting you, Hinata." He promised her, resolve strong in his eyes. She blushed and averted her gaze. They stayed like that for a while, Neji's intensity pressuring her to answer. She finally looked back at him, innocent and broken.

"My father." She whispered. It was completely, crystal clear to the brunette Hyuuga. His eyes widened and he stood up suddenly. "Hiashi-sama…" He closed his eyes and his features contorted into pain, then uncensored rage. "He's not getting away with this!" Neji turned to stalk out, but a small voice stopped him, soft as a sigh, defiant as a two year old child being asked to clean their room when Barney is on.

"No!" She cried, jerking out of her position on the bed towards him, she reached for him, and he turned back around, ashamed of his behavior. He walked back towards her and took her hand, bending down to her level again. "Neji… N-no." She murmured, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks. Her cousin wiped her tears lightly away, both of them blushing from the proximity.

"I swear, I'll never let anyone hurt you ever again." He half-closed his eyes and she did too, staring, wanting, waiting for his lips to reach hers. They met in the middle, Hinata craned her neck and Neji put a soft hand behind her head, pushing her closer and she drew a little hand across his cheek. The brunette gingerly let his hand edge down to her neck, careful of her bruises, but she didn't mind. The heiress made room for him on the bed and he removed his shoes and jacket and slid in next to her, wrapping his arms around her middle and drawing her close. He kissed the side of her neck as gently as possible and just before they drifted off to sleep, Hinata muttered, "Thank you…"


End file.
